


This is A Thing Called A Present

by Saint_Valentine



Category: Nezah
Genre: Eventual Smut, Friends to Enemies, M/M, Short work, Slight non-con warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25036162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saint_Valentine/pseuds/Saint_Valentine
Summary: I wrote this a while ago and I wasn't gonna post it, but I figured What The Hell. I LITERALY wrote this instead of sleeping, lol... Hope you enjoy, pls comment!!!
Relationships: Nezah/Ao Bing
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ana Garcia](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Ana+Garcia).



“I’m sorry, we’ll be here for how long?!” Nezah jumped to his intangible feet. “That’s crazy!”  
“Are you saying you don’t want to spend time with Ao Bing?” His mother asked, raising one eyebrow at him knowingly.   
“Of course I do!” He scoffed. “I just-” He stuttered for a second, fully aware of his friend’s eyes boring into his shoulders. “Two years?”   
“Or until we can find a way to get you your bodies back, yes.”  
“And what are we supposed to do until then, eh?”  
“Well, you can train.” Nezah’s father suggested.   
“Or meditate.” Taiyi grunted around a mouthful of celebratory noodles.   
“Or bond as a pair?” Lady Yin nodded, signaling to the others to agree with her. “You’ll be working as partners for the rest of your lives, now that we know what you're capable of. You might as well try getting to know each other.”   
“What?” The red-headed teen groaned. “I have to work with the man who tried to kill my family and everyone in my hometown. For the rest of my life. Fantastic!” He laughed and stalked away, shoving his hands in his pockets as he went. “This just can’t get any worse, can it?”   
As if on cue, thunder cracked through the sky, although people on “the outside” couldn’t feel it as it started to rain.   
“Interesting.” Taiyi dropped his bowl and scooped up the lotus. “The orb seems to be reacting to your emotions. Although, rain isn’t generally a symbol of anger, more-”  
“Hey, water boy!” Nezah slapped Ao Bing upside the head. “If you don’t cheer up, it won’t stop raining.” He poked his cheeks and stretched his lips into a smile. “So cheer up!”   
“Nezah, you don’t get wet.” Ao Bing’s voice was muddled slightly by the other boy's hands.   
“Ao Bing, we don’t know if rain dampens Nezah’s powers, or makes his stronger, or weakens the effects of his bracelet.”   
“It’s not a bracelet, it’s a universe ring…” Taiyi corrected gruffly. “But Li Jing is right. Please stop the rain now.”   
“I’m not sure I can.” He admitted. “I’m not exactly telling the lotus that it needs to be raining. Maybe if I was happier?”   
“What makes you happy, then?”   
Nezah. He thought. But Nezah was unhappy. Because of him. “Uh, swimming?” He lied.   
“Nezah, take Ao Bing swimming.” Lady Yin demanded.   
“What, now?”   
“Yes, now.”   
“But mama-” He complained, but Lady wasn't having it.   
“No if’s, ands, or buts. Go find a body of water(A/N Um, Ao Bing is RIGHT THERE he has a body and he likes water. Go ahead and enjoy him, Nezah! ;) ) and enjoy it.” With that, she turned and walked from her son's line of vision.   
“Mama!” He whined, and slid his glare over to Ao Bing. “Fine.” He turned and walked toward a nearby hill.   
“Where are you going?” He jumped to his feet and followed. “Lady Yin said we should go swimming.”   
“We are.” He says cooly.   
“But… We’re going uphill?”   
“Yes, we are.” He glanced over at his confused companion and sighed. “This place seems to have a nearly identical layout to the painting I trained in most of my life. If it is just like it, there should be a hidden glacial pond right-” They crested the hill, and sure enough there was a crater, filled to the brim with clear blue water. Along the edges were weeping willows and cherry trees in full bloom. Blossoms floated on the water and the “sun” struck through the branches and danced on the reflective water. “Here.”   
Ao Bing didn’t hesitate to remove his outer robe and dive in.   
“Your pants! They’ll get-” He was interrupted by a wave crashing over his head, soaking him from head to toe. “Wet.”   
“Ha!” Ao Bing was standing effortlessly attop the water. “I thought you couldn’t get wet, fire boy.” He knows taunting is either going to end with him seriously injured, or with him having his friend back. Might as well try it, right?   
The mockery works, and Nezah steams off all of the water in seconds. After taking slightly longer to fix his hair, he turns on the dragon who lounges in the surf. “You’re dead, demon.” He lunges into the water, plunging his Fire Tipped Spear into the water near Ao, sending him flying into the air.   
“Spears are cheating!” He groans, clinging to a rock as the waves crash over his head. Flexing his limbs, he transitions into his natural form-a large, blue dragon with shining scales. He slaps his tail against the water, creating a spike of ice that traps Nezah under the water. He melts it easily, clouding the pool with steam, the only real light coming from the fire in his hands and Ao Bing’s scales.   
“Dragons are cheating.” He mocks, throwing his spear, narrowly missing the beast's hide.   
He dodges quickly and dives under, resurfacing behind him and breathing cold fire over his head, singing his hair.   
“We could always stop fighting, you know. Then we wouldn’t have anything to cheat at.”   
“You tried to kill everyone I care about! You think I’m gonna stop hating you any time soon?”  
“I certainly hope so.” Ao Bing transforms back and stands there as Nezah sicks his ribbons on him and burns him with his spear, leaving blood and bruises all over his face and body. His bear chest took the worst of it, with a large burn spreading above his heart and cuts raking over his abs. Despite the obvious pain, he doesn't cry out or complain, just stands there and takes it.   
“Why don’t you fight back?” Nezah places the tip of his spear under Ao Bing’s chin, drawing a bead of blood. “You were so eager to fight yesterday evening. You’ll try to kill my family and friends on my birthday, but you’ll let me kill you any other day. Is that it?”   
“I feel bad.” He says. “And so do you. This is the only way I see to make you feel better. It doesn’t matter… to me… if I feel better.” He shakes his head gently, which is a mistake since the spear is still jutting into his flesh. “Go ahead. Finish me off if it makes you happy.”   
“I-” He drops his arm, flicking his wrist to release the ribbons. “I can’t. We fight well together, momma would be disappointed…”   
“It’s ironic, isn’t it.” Ao Bing chokes. “You were bred to be killed by me, and all you want to do is save the world. I was bred to save the world, and all I do is destroy it.”   
“That’s not true. Your father wants to destroy the world. Li Gong-whatever wants to destroy the world. You just want to please them. Why-I shouldn’t be blaming you, I- What are you going to do?”   
“What the-It’s just a few cuts. A little salve and I’ll be fine. Besides, I’m already dead.”   
“No, about your father. He’ll be back, right? This- this isn’t the end. Is it?”   
“No, probably not.” He confirmed, reaching out and gripping Nezah’s shoulder. “But I think we’re safe in here. For the next few years, we can plan and train and… Plan. And train and-” he laughed softly, flinching as blood dripped from a cut on his cheek into his mouth. “We’ll be fine. Ok?”   
“Ok.” The hot-blooded boy was stunned at the eternal cool in his partner.   
“Do you forgive me?” Ao Bing asked carefully, not wanting to ruin the small amount of ground he’d just built.   
“Ok.” He allowed. “I forgive you, whatever.” He gave a small smile. “Let’s get you patched up, water boy.”   
“I have a name, you know.” He rolled his eyes at the nickname.   
“What, really?” Nezah slipped an arm around his waist, helping to support him. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have made fun of it.”   
“Ha-freaking-ha.”   
\------------------------------------------------  
“This is gonna sting.” Nezah warned, bringing a small white cloth to the burn on his chest.   
“I got that the last three-million times you said it.”   
“Attitude.” He warns, pressing the fabric to the wound and wiping away the blood and charred skin. “See what happened last time you back-talked the fire king.”   
“I can never tell when you’re joking.” Nezah was seated with one leg crossed under him on the edge of a cot they had built from ice, with Ao Bing laying down attop it. Ao Bing grabbed his friend's wrist as he started to clean a cut that went below the hem of his pants. “I can do that myself.”   
“Don’t be embarrassed.” He says. “Your dominant hand is burned, I can do it for you”   
“Really, I don’t need you to, lǎo pó*.” He was poking fun at him, but there was an edge to his voice, which the fire-boy ignored.   
“ ‘lǎo pó’, really? I’m just helping you.” His choice of words made him blush. He tried to stutter another no, but he ignored and tried to push back the loose cotton hiding him.   
“Nezah, I said I can do it myself!” He threw a ball of ice and knocked him backwards, forcing him to roll down the hill.   
“Ow.” He hears, the voice echoing up to him.   
“I’m sorry!” He shouts as Nezah puts on his ‘shoes’ and flies up to him.   
“Yup.” He says with a weary, joking smile. “I think you can do it yourself.” 

*lǎo pó is the Chinese informal for wife/wifey.


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...

-Ten Months Later-

“When are they going to realize, you think?” Lady Yin whispered to her companions as they gazed down at the lotus. They had been watching the pair’s relationship grow stronger and… Stronger? In the beginning, when they were first informed of their imprisonment in the ball, they had tried to kill eachother. But now, almost a year later, they had been training and meditating together, cooking and building what was meant to be a temporary dormitory, but had become something more permanent. They had not built a roof-for Ao Bing was claustrophobic- so when the viewers looked down on them, they could see right into their bedroom.   
Notice how there was one bedroom, and not two?   
Lady Yin, Nezah’s father, and Taiyi had been watching them grow, and had realized that perhaps there was more between them than just friendship? Nezah’s parents were pleased, it saved them the trouble of having to arrange his marriage. But it had become frustrating to see them so ignorant.   
They slept in the same bed, spooning(Obviously Ao Bing was the big spoon…) every night. Then woke up in the morning and made fun of eachothers bed-hair. Ao Bing made breakfast while Nezah started the chores, making the bed and bringing in the laundry, and once they had eaten they went to train. Nezah always kissed Ao Bing’s wounds because ‘Mother says it helps them heal’, and Ao Bing called Nezah lǎo pó constantly, though he always played it off as a joke. After accidentally performing an alcohol-poisoning spell(incorrectly enough that they were only drunk out of their minds, as opposed to dying of kidney failure) they had kissed. Like, a lot. And somehow woke up with no memory of it in the morning.   
So now, as the trio watched them wake, they sighed.   
“Good morning, son.” Nezah’s father said cheerily.   
“Hey bà ba*.” Nezah yawned, but he smirked and shook his head.   
“I was actually talking to the sleeping-beauty over there. Ao Bing, wake up!” On cue, he shot upright and grabbed for the shirt he had abandoned on the floor.   
“Good morning yǎng fù**.” He struggled to get the garment over his head and got it caught on the spiked horns which had recently become, uh, larger. And pointier. Nezah reached out, one hand on his friends chest for a moment, stopping him from struggling further.   
“Haven’t I told you to let me put on your shirt?” He scolds as he fits the neck over his horns.   
“I don’t listen to you, lǎo pó, you’re usually wrong.”   
‘While that is true, in this case I am right, lǎo gōng***.” He tugs gently on one of the dragons spikes, sliding his hand slowly from where it rests under his shirt. They both blush, and Nezah realized that he’s naked, jumping up and scrambling for clothes as the other casually puts on pants.   
“You’re both blind as rhinoceros’.” Taiyi shouts around what seems to be a rice ball.   
“Sorry?” They look up in confusion(Which doesn't help, since Ao Bing is sitting on the edge of the bed, tying his sandals, and Nezah is straddling him to reach something under his pillow.   
“I think what master Taiyi means is that neither of you are seeing an emotion that we can see clearly.” Lady Yin punches the fatter man on his shoulder, knocking the rice ball out of his mouth.   
“Yes, what she said.” He concludes, fetching a package of rice crusts.   
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ao Bing says slowly, glaring at them and gesturing for them to stop talking.   
Oh. So, Ao Bing realizes his feelings? Pff, figures.   
“I see.” Nezah’s father says. “You think he doesn’t feel the same.”   
“What?” Nezah spins off his lap, leaving him cold. “You have a crush? Why didn’t you tell me, gē gē?” The nickname stings, and he lowers his eyes.   
“I figured it wasn’t worth the effort. He would never like me back.”   
“Is he straight? Is that why?” Nezah rolls his eyes. “His loss. Any boy would be lucky to have you.”   
“Would you be lucky to have him, hǔ zǐ****?”   
“What do you mean?”  
“Nezah, Ao Bing has a crush on you!” Taiyi has returned from his snack run, and he drops a pouch of rice crusts into each of the living peoples laps, oblivious to the way Nezah stares at the blue boy, jaw practically on the floor.   
“Why didn’t you say anything?” He repeats his question. Ao Bing shakes his head.   
“I didn’t think you’d like me back.”   
“Well, Master Taiyi is right.” He laughs, but his voice is trembling. His parents hold eachothers hands too tight, anxious for the moment they’d been waiting for. “You are blind.”   
“What do y-” He will never finish that sentence, because Nezah presses their lips together quickly enough to shock him, and holds them there, one hand on the back of his head, slowly moving his mouth against his partners.   
“Finally.” Nezah’s father smiles and stands, exiting the view to give them some privacy, tapping his wife’s shoulder for her to follow. Taiyi doesn’t take the hint, even when Nezah pushes the second boy onto his back, starts kissing down his neck, removes his shirt and kisses down his stomach, bringing a bubbling laugh from him.   
“Taiyi, you perv.” Ao Bing whispers after Nezah snaps the waistband of his pants with his teeth. “Get out.”   
“Ok, ok.” He stands abruptly and wanders away. “I can tell when I’m not wanted…”   
“Now that the old man is gone…” Nezah offers a nervous, flirty smile.   
“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Ao Bing promises. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long while.”   
After successfully getting them both naked, the red-head smiles down from where he sits between the blonde’s knees.   
“Look at you, good and hard for me already.” He runs a hand across his hips, feather light, just barely dragging his thumb on his base. “It would be cruel to make you finish yourself off, wouldn’t it?”  
“Don’t you dare!”   
They laugh, cry, moan, and smile, their eyes bright with newness and happiness, and… Many other nice nesses. And in their minds they say, “Yeah. I think we’re gonna make it.” 

-END-

*Chinese nickname for dad or father.  
** Chinese for “Adopted father”.  
***The reverse of what was defined in the previous chapter. If that meant “wifey” this means “hubby”.   
****Chinese nickname for a strong boy, “tiger son”.


End file.
